Serpentine
by Saiyaness28
Summary: As a young girl, Reba came to the Conner's ranch as a temporary foster child. This new land turns out to hold many secrets. There's something out in the woods. A predator with a serpentine heart. Mrs. Conner says it's a guardian spirit. She is wrong.
1. Chapter 1

**Serpentine**

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**I was caught up in the moment**  
**We were alone and you seemed to harness the light**  
**Even though I felt cold inside**  
**When you told me it would be alright**  
**I had given up control and**  
**I didn't focus hard enough to see the warning signs**  
**Your heart is serpentine.**

**- From "Serpentine" by Disturbed.**

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Chapter One: Predator

**South Dakota June 18, 1997**

Reba looked out of the back seat window at the scenery as it whooshed past. She held her doll, Maggie in her arms, tightly. The land was golden in the dimming light of the setting sun. The sky was a rainbow of blues, red, violets and gold. She made a mental note to duplicate such a sky later on with her finger paints. She hoped her new foster parents would let her paint. Some of the fosters she had before wouldn't. They didn't want her messing up their expensive leather furniture and imported rugs.

"Are we almost there?" She asked the woman that was driving. Her voice was soft and timid.

"Almost, sweetie. Mr. and Mrs. Conner live out in the middle of nowhere, don't they?" The lady laughed, smiling at her, kindly.

Reba didn't laugh. She shivered slightly when the woman called her sweetie. She didn't like that. Her birth mother called her that. Where was her mom now? She wondered. She hadn't the foggiest idea. More than likely, she was still where she had left her, past out drunk on the bathroom floor, with her head halfway in the toilet.

"You should have lots of fun out here, on the Conner's ranch. There's lots of animals to play with and land to explore." Said the social worker, trying to cheer the little girl up. It didn't seem to be working. Reba looked at her blankly, gripping onto her doll for dear life, as if she were afraid someone would take it away from her. "They have a couple of other kids too, a boy and girl. Maybe you and their daughter can play dolls together."

"Maybe." Reba said in her little voice. Her expression didn't change.

The social worker sighed heavily, as her eyes returned to the gravel road ahead. She had come across children like this before in her sixteen plus year career with Child Protective Services. These kids had seen and experienced too much pain in their short lives, mistreated by their own parents, being taken away and shuttled from home to home, never really feeling like they belonged anywhere. Little Reba was only eight years old and already she looked like a kid who'd been in the system ten years or more. The Conner's wouldn't be able to keep her for very long. They were only filling in until a more long term placement could be found. The girl probably wouldn't even have time to unpack before she moved her again. Reba must have known that.

A young doe bounded into the gravel road, only inches in front of the car. The social worker swerved to miss her and slammed into a fence post. Her ears rang with the gnashing of metal. Thankfully, she hadn't been going that fast. The front of the car was bashed like hell, but the air bags didn't even deploy.

"My god, are you okay, Reba?" She asked, looking back at the silent child, panic stricken that the girl wasn't whimpering or anything.

Reba stared, wide eyed, out of her window. Her small mouth hung agape.

The woman turned her head to see what the girl was looking at. A heard of deer scrambled out of the woods, running like mad, across the road and bounding over the pasture fence. She counted them as they ran away, seven, twelve, twenty four, thirty eight. She'd never seen so many dear at once.

"What are they running from?" Asked Reba.

The woman watched the final deer run across the road and bound away. As it passed the blue Volvo, she saw that it's eyes were nearly bulging out of it's head, it's ears swiveled restlessly, as if it were trying to hear something, but didn't know which direction the threat lay in. "I have no idea." She answered the child. She rolled down her window and sniffed at the air, thinking maybe there was a forest or brush fire somewhere in the woods that surrounded the ranch. She couldn't smell any smoke. All she could smell was the scent of cow and horse manure. "Maybe it was a bear or something." She reasoned, as she rolled the window back up.

She restarted the car and backed it off of the fence post. She thanked the good lord, that it was still running. There was still two miles to go, before they got to the house and she didn't want to risk running into whatever scared those deer senseless.

As soon as the car pulled into the driveway, two children ran out to greet them. Two raven haired children with olive toned faces and bright, brown eyes bounced outside of the car door, yelling words of welcome.

The girl retracted from the door, startled by the children's' enthusiasm.

"It's okay, Reba. They just want to say hello." The social worker reassured her. The woman got out of the car and told the children to calm down a little. She didn't want them to scare Reba further. She opened the door for the child and helped her out of the car.

The children, studied the girl carefully, as she got out. She was tall for her age and was pretty thin and gangly. She wore her long, stringy blond hair pulled back in a ponytail. Wisps of it fell around her ears. She seemed shy. She kept her green eyes averted from having contact with their own. She nibbled at her bottom lip nervously. The hands that held her doll against her chest, shook a little.

"Hi, I'm Charlie. This is my sister, Jenny." Said the older boy, with a smile. There were quite a few gaps. It made him look funny. "What's your name?" He asked, enthusiastically.

Reba guessed he was a year older than she was, but she was a little bit taller. The girl was maybe six or seven. She was a whole head and a half shorter than her. She was a cute little girl, with a baby's cherub face and large brown eyes, that made her look like a doll. Hesitantly, she reached out trembling hand. "I-I'm R-Reba." She stuttered. The boy shook her hand with too much force, yanking it up and down. It didn't hurt though.

The little girl gave her a big hug. "I like your doll." She said.

A man and woman came out then. They were both pretty average looking. The man's brown hair was thin now, the top of his head was bald, so he hid it under an old cowboy hat. He wore his plaid shirt tucked into his jeans. The legs of the pants were stuffed into a pair of beat up boots. A shiny, silver buckle gleamed at his waist. His wife looked pretty, even in middle age. Reba thought she could be Native American. Her skin was russet brown and her cheekbones were beautifully pronounced. She wore her black hair pinned back. The mannish clothes she wore didn't do her justice. Her attire wasn't much different from her husband's. They smiled at her, as they approached.

"Hi, Reba. It' s so good to finally meet you." Said Mrs. Conner, bending down to meet her eye to eye.

"Welcome to the ranch." Said Mr. Conner, wrapping his arms proudly around his children's shoulders.

"Thank you." Squeaked Reba, her large eyes staring blankly at the dusty ground.

"Here's her suitcase." Said the social worker.

Mrs. Conner stood up and took the pink suitcase from her. "Thank y-" She stopped, as her eyes shifted to see the smashed in grill of the car. "What on earth happened?" She asked.

The woman scratched at the back of her head. "Strangest thing I've ever seen. This deer jumped out in front of the car and I swerved to miss her, ended up plowing into one of your fence posts. Then we looked back and a whole heard of them were running across the road. There must have been near forty of them. I've never seen deer stampede like that. Never even seen a group that big."

Mrs. Conner gave a nervous glance at her husband. "The animals around these parts, act a bit odd at times. Thank God, no one got seriously hurt."

"Yea." The social worker sighed. "Well, I better be getting back. It's a long drive back to the city. She pat Reba reassuringly on the shoulder. "Take care of yourself, kid." She looked back up at the adults. "I'll give you a call, once I find another placement for her." She turned around and went back to her car.

Reba watched sadly as the woman pulled out of the driveway. She hated this part, being left behind in a different, alien world. She felt a warm hand take hers. She looked up into Mrs. Conner's dark eyes.

"Come along, supper's almost ready. I made venison and rice and gravy and corn on the cob. Have you ever tried venison?" She asked.

Reba shook her head. "No. What's that?"

"Deer." Replied Mrs. Conner. "It's really delicious."

Predatory eyes scanned the forest. He could see them. The deer. His mouth watered at the thought of the meal to come. His feet fell silently on the brush, as he slunk towards them. He could feel the brittle twigs and leaves beneath his feet, yet they did not snap nor rustle, as if he held no weight, as if he wasn't even there. His eyes settled on the big buck, standing only two feet from him. It's impressive rack, decorated it's head like a king's golden crown. He ate away at the dry grass, oblivious to the predator edging towards him, while his mate and fawn guzzled water from the spring. The predator had already killed several deer that night, yet the ache of thirst at the back of his throat remained. It never really went away. He took his stance, his body low, crouched near the earth, his legs coiled like a spring, ready to strike. The buck's head lifted. It's ears swiveled back and forth. The predator smiled knowingly. The deer knew he was there. He could feel him. That sudden drop in temperature. The chill running up and down his back, making each hair of his fur stand up, was a sign of coming death. Yet, the deer stood there, stupidly, trying to spot whatever it was that was stalking him and his family. He would not be able to see him. They never saw him. The predator only showed himself to those he chose. The deer would not see him, until it's last breathe had been drawn out. The predator chuckled. To the buck, it sounded like leaves being blown in the wind. The air was arid, in the summer heat, yet the deer's breath began to show, like smoke puffing out of his nostrils. The cold chill worsened, froze his bones. With a rattling hiss, the predator lunged at the deer. He grabbed hold of him, it's sharp nails digging into the beast's flesh. The buck let out a bellow as the predator ripped into his throat with his sharp teeth. The predator sucked away at the deer's essence, devouring it's life force with satisfaction. The deer crumpled onto the forest floor, letting out one final death bellow. Succeeding in the kill, the predator threw back his head and screamed with victory. The whole forest shook with fright at the unnatural sound.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two: Screams

The social worker slammed on her brakes, as the earth shook beneath the wheels of her car. An ear piercing scream echoed through the valley. She covered her ears, trying desperately to block out the chilling sound. "What the hell is that?" She asked herself. The sound was inhuman and unlike any kind of animal she'd ever heard. It verged more on demonic, half howl, half the scream of something dieing. The car rattled as if it were afraid. Slowly, the scream faded away, and the social worker lowered her hands from her head. "What in the world is going on in this place?" She breathed, fright ringing in her voice.

The sweet scent of fear filled the predator's nostrils. He sucked in the perfumed air. His body trembled with delight at the female human's apparent terror. His mouth spread into a sharp toothed grin. Laughter echoed from his chest. He tossed the withered corpse of the buck to the side and rose, in a blur, to his feet. He rolled his shoulders and turned his head at unnatural angles, sighing as the bones cracked. The killing need was itching the back of his throat again.

The predator, blurred away into blackness, then reappeared at the edge of the forest, overlooking the gravel road that led to the Conner's ranch. A car sat in the middle of the road, skid marks trailing behind it, where it had stopped suddenly. With his keen eyesight, he saw the woman inside the car, looking frantically out the windows, looking for monsters. She was about to find what she was looking for.

With the sickening sound of twisting muscle and snapping bone, his body twisted and morphed. He laughed his twisted, dark laughter as he took a new form. One that was sure to scare the wits out of that woman, who dared to trespass onto his land.

The social worker let out a blood curdling scream, as a black wolf appeared from nowhere and leapt at her windshield. It's toothy jaws snapped at her. It seemed eager to tear into her flesh. It snarled and barked, hungrily. She scrambled into the backseat and pulled her legs up to her chest, trying to draw herself into a small, comforting ball. Despite the horror that filled her gut, she could not tear her eyes away from this psychotic wolf, for there was something about his eyes that were not quite right. There was no white, no distinction between pupil and iris. They were merely deep, black pits, that flickered with a dark red luster, in the starlight. It was mid June, almost ninety degrees still, even after the sun had set. Yet, she was freezing. It had to be ten below inside the car. She could even see her breath, puffing like cigarette smoke from her lips.

Her eyes widened, as she stared at it. Her eyes nearly bulging completely out of their sockets. The midnight colored wolf had stopped it's insane attempt to bite through the windshield. Instead, it stood there on the hood of the car, grinning at her, and not in a natural way. It was actually smiling, like a person. It's lips were pulled away from the expanse of white fangs. The smile even touched it's creepy black eyes. The smile seemed much too wide and it made her stomach churn. Another chill swept down her back, raising every hair on her body. Her heart rate increased, and the air was filled with her screaming, as the wolf pushed it's head against the glass, and passed through it, as if the glass weren't there. It slipped into the car, and leapt at her. Taking her head into it's jaws, it snapped them closed once and the world became silent again.

The venison was just as tasty as everyone promised it would be. It tasted a lot like beef, but there was a gamey tang to it, that Reba found interesting. However, after dinner, Jenny insisted on them watching _Bambi _and Reba quickly regretted eating it. There was no way she'd ever be able to eat it again without seeing Bambi's adorable face. She liked Jenny and Charlie. They were a little hyper, but she kind of liked that about them. They were funny and weird…in a good way.

Mrs. Conner came into the kids' bedroom, holding up a bag of fluffy treats. "Who wants to go roast marshmallows?" She asked, smiling brightly.

Jenny and Charlie jumped up from where they were sitting and bounced up and down excitedly, "Me! Me!" They shouted, giggling happily.

Reba slipped off the edge of Jenny's bed and walked quietly to where the family was gathered. She didn't say anything, but gave a little smile at Mrs. Conner. The mother took this as a sign that she thought it was a wonderful idea.

Mrs. Conner led the children out of the house, across the yard, behind the big old barn, and helped them crawl under the barbed wire fence, into a part of the pasture where they normally kept the mares when they came into heat. There were no horses there tonight. It was free and open for them to do as they liked. Mr. Conner was already there, feeding old boards into a big bonfire. He had set up a few logs around it, for the children to sit on. The children gathered around the fire and sat on the logs. It was a little uncomfortable. The rough bark, jabbed at Reba's backside, but she'd never done something like this, so she sucked it up and smiled. Firelight flickered across the children's eyes as they watched the dark haired woman pick apart an old wire hanger and stretch it out into a metal stick, perfect for skewering marshmallows. She gave each of them one, took one for herself and gave the last one to her husband. They passed around the bag of marshmallows and went about roasting the sugary morsels.

Reba laughed with the others when Jenny squealed at the sight of a flaming ball of charred marshmallow. Reba lost count of how many she ate. She liked to get hers good and black on the outside and gooey on the inside. It wasn't long until all the children had sticky faces and fingers.

When everyone was too stuffed to eat another bite, Mrs. Conner got out some baby wipes and passed them along to get them all cleaned up.

"Tell us one of your stories, mommy." Pleaded Jenny, her dark eyes twinkling.

"Yea! A scary one!" Charlie agreed, with a mischievous expression.

Reba stared in awe, as Mrs. Conner pulled the hair tie out of her hair and shook out the pitch black mane. Her hair was long and silky. It caught the fire and star light in it's glossy surface. "How about you, Reba? Do you like scary stories?" She asked the girl. She had caught her staring.

"Yea." Reba said weakly. She didn't really like to be scared, but Charlie and Jenny really wanted to hear a story and she didn't want to make them mad at her.

"Okay." Mrs. Conner chuckled, as she climbed to her feet. She placed one hand on her hip an tapped a slender finger on her lips with the other. "What story shall I tell? I think you've heard all my stories by now."

"Why not the story of Jumlin?" Her husband spoke up.

Mrs. Conner gave him a coy smirk and shook her head. "I think that's a bit too mature for them, Billy." She said, laughing.

Mr. Conner flashed her a smirk of his own, "Just edit out the nasty parts. The kids want to get scared and that's the scariest legend I've ever heard. Come on, Sarah."

Mrs. Conner sighed heavily, "Fine." She said and turned back to face the flames. Her dark eyes lifted to set their penetrating gaze on Reba. The fire's red and orange tongues licked across her face to light up her eyes. "As I'm sure you've already noticed, Reba, I am of Native American heritage. I am of the Lakota Sioux nation. I lived on a reserve for most of my life. It was there that I learned all of the ancient legends of my people and the land that we build our homes upon. One of our most frightening legends is of the creature called…" She paused dramatically, her melodic voice taking on a haunting edge. "Jumlin. A long time ago, there lived a very kind and brave medicine man and his lovely wife, Laughing Sky. He loved his wife, dearly and their life together was a happy one. However, there was one thing missing. A child." She looked at each of the children, her eyes settling on their faces one at a time, lingering only for a moment. Then her eyes fell again on the flames of the bonfire. "There was nothing in this world that the medicine man desired more. Try as they might, it was soon clear that Laughing Sky was barren and could have no children. For year and years, they prayed for a baby, but their prayers went unanswered. The medicine man grew more and more desperate with each passing year, for he knew that his wife was growing old, and that soon it would be impossible to have a child." Mr. Conner brought out an old leather skin drum and beat on it in a steady rhythm. The sound added a fast paced, chilling tempo to the story, which sent the children's hearts racing, especially Reba's. "So one day, he made the unwise decision to call upon the negative spirits for help. Using forbidden magic, he opened up a portal to the spirit world, allowing a dark presence to seep into this world. A creature by the name of Jumlin. Jumlin was an especially powerful and evil spirit, and he was as wise as he was wicked. He tricked the medicine man into releasing him into this world, by promising him what he wanted most, a child. "Release me and I will give you the son you pine for." Mrs. Conner hissed, in a demonic voice. She curled her fingers into claws and pretended to slash at the children. She bore her teeth in a frightening smile, that made Reba's heart fall into her stomach. "I will bless you with many sons and daughters and exactly nine months from now, a baby boy will be born. A son of your very own." Jumlin promised the medicine man. Foolishly, the medicine man chose to comply. The temptation was far too great. Once Jumlin was set free into the land of the living, he made his true nature clear, he possessed the medicine man, stole his body and took control of it. Jumlin was a cruel being and he possessed an even worse nature. He needed the blood and life force of other creatures to stay in this world. First he killed the deer and the other beasts in the forest, but soon that proved not to be enough, so he edged closer into the village. He killed all of the cattle and the horses of the people, then turned on the villagers as well. He took the lives of the strong braves first, to get them out of his way, then turned his attention on the poor, defenseless women. Those who were lucky enough to escape death from his furious feeding, became with child. Many children were born in the village, all fathered by the creature, Jumlin. All the while, what was left of the men became more enraged. They tried several times to kill the possessed medicine man, but nothing they tried work. He was no longer a mortal man. Their fear growing, several of them traveled into a neighboring village and asked their medicine man, what it was that they should do, and he told him the secret to destroying negative spirits, even those as strong as Jumlin. They returned to the village just as Laughing Sky was giving birth. The men plotted and schemed, making plans on how they were going to rid themselves of Jumlin and all his evil. That night, Laughing Sky gave birth to a beautiful baby boy, which she named, Laughing Bear. Afterwards, she became very ill. During the night, after the men had all fallen asleep, weary from their long journey, Jumlin snuck into the tent. He began to feed off of his weakened wife. He killed her, in his eagerness, and snuck away with his newborn son. He took all of his children and many of the women and fled the village. He gave the women and their children to the braves of neighboring tribes in exchange for their protection. Soon only he and Laughing Bear remained. They moved from village to village, untouched by time or disease. Laughing Bear grew into a strong and beautiful young man, but his heart was as black as his fathers and he proved to be even more cruel and self-indulgent. One night, after settling into yet another village, Jumlin found himself ravenous with hunger and thirst. His vicious gaze found it's way to the village chief's eldest daughter. He snuck into her tent and began his feeding. However, this time he was discovered in the midst of his feeding frenzy, by three of the hunters that had been following him since he fled his own village. Using the magic that the hunters had learned from the other medicine man, they destroyed Jumlin, but the cunning Laughing Bear escaped. He was never seen again." Mrs. Conners smiled wryly at the children's wide eyed stares. "They say that Laughing Bear and all of Jumlin's children lived on, and still live among us today. They are immortal and so, can never die. My people have long forgotten the magic that the hunters used to rid the world of Jumlin, so you'd better pray you never cross the path of one of Jumlin's spawns. For there is nothing that can save you from their hunger."

Jenny and Charlie clapped for their mother and Mrs. Conner bowed with a cheerful chuckle. Mr. Conner laughed and set aside his drum to clap for his wife's story telling. However, Reba sat motionless on her log, her spine shivering at the thought that something like Jumlin could still exist.

Suddenly an echoing scream erupted for the forest behind them, freezing everyone where they stood. The family stopped their smiling and clapping and turned to look fearfully towards the dark, foreboding forest. The screams were…strange. It sounded like someone was dieing, like someone was being stabbed over and over again. It held an animalistic quality. It was a feral and ancient sound.

Jenny clapped her hands over her ears. Charlie did the same. Reba just sat there, staring into the forest. "What is that?" Asked Jenny, looking extremely frightened.

"I-I don't know, sweetie." Her mother said, her voice was trembling almost as much as her hands as she wrapped her arms protectively around her children.

"Cougar?" Said Mr. Conner, wiping sweat from his brow.

Mrs. Conner shook her head. "Maybe, but it's been years since we've had cougar's this far north. And that doesn't sound like a cougar to me. Put out the fire and let's go. I don't really want to find out what that is." She hurried the children along and grabbed Reba's hand. "Come on, let's get back inside." She pulled the, still frozen, Reba away from her seat and tugged all the children back in the direction they came in. Though her body moved, her eyes did not, she stared at the forest, until it was completely out of sight. Had she really seen what she thought she saw? Red eyes, beaming at her. Small lights, burning through the utter blackness.

The predator watched the family run away from the clearing, frightened by his roars. He was boiling with rage now, seeing the little pale skinned child there. She wasn't supposed to be there. This was not her place. Even if she was only a child, she was still a trespasser, in his eyes. He grinned with anticipation, his eyes flaring, "Such disrespect must be dealt with." He chuckled. Then, just as quickly as he had appeared, he faded away again.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three: Cold

Once Mrs. Conner had dragged all three children back inside, she held them tightly against her figure, protectively. Her fingers dug into Reba's arm. The little girl looked up in wonder at the woman's distinctly Native American features. Her intensely dark eyes shimmered with both fear and determination. No matter what was going to happen, Rebea knew that this woman would do everything that was within her power to protect them, even she, a child that was not even hers. Was this what a real mother was supposed to be? Reba wondered as they huddled there together in the living room of the small ranch house.

Mr. Conner went to his locked gun display case and took out a shotgun. His face had gone pale with fright. Even from within the house, they could still hear the awful screaming. And it somehow sounded closer.

"What are you going to do with that thing?" Asked Mrs. Conner with a look of anger on her face. She reached out and grabbed her husband's arm as he tried to rush back out the door.

"I'm going to go see what that is." He opened the door and the screams got even louder as he peered out into the pitch black world beyond their front porch. "God." He began, shaking his head. A bead of sweat dripped down the side of his face. "It sounds like someone's being ripped apart." He turned his wide eyes to his wife. "You think maybe someone's being attacked by a bear or something?" He asked her.

She shook her head, strands of her long black hair fell like cobwebs over Reba's face. "I have never heard anything like that in my entire life, nor have I ever been told of such a thing. It sounds neither human nor animal, rather like something in-between." Her eyes sharpened. "That scream is not of this world."

"What do you mean?" Asked Mr. Conner, his eyes widening even further, to the point that they looked like they could pop out at any second.

A loud thud from the roof above them, made the entire group look up in surprise. With their breath stalled in their throats they listened in horror at the repetitive bangs that followed. "That sounds like footsteps." Mrs. Conner gasped in disbelief.

"That's it. I'm taking care of this." Raged Mr. Conner, readying his shotgun.

Mrs. Conner grabbed the barrel and snatched it out of her husband's hands. "Don't you dare go out there." She scolded. "You're staying right here with us, where it's safe. You have no idea what you're going up against." She laid the gun to the side and passed the huddled children over to him. "Stay with the kids while I go get my smudging sticks."

"Have you lost your mind?" Mr. Conner grumbled as she hurried over to a trunk and threw open the lid. "What's smoke going to do to an animal?"

"Trust me." She said as she took a bound gathering of sage and lit the end of the bundle on fire. She blew on it lightly to get it smoking. Quickly, she went along the perimeters of each room, letting the smoke saturate every corner as she repeated the Lord's Prayer over and over again.

"What are you doing?" Asked Reba, coughing as the smoke found it's way into her lungs.

"I learned how to do this from my grandmother. Negative spirits detest the smell of sage. The smoke and the prayers will protect us." Said Mrs. Conner continuing with her work.

It seemed that the more the sage's smoke filled the house the farther away the bangs and screams became. Eventually, after an hour or so, all went quiet and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. They were all too frightened to venture out in the dark that night, but what they found the following morning was not any less frightening in daylight.

Mr. and Mrs. Conner gawked at the carnage. Three of their cows were dead, as well as a very large and temperamental bull. Two of the cows lay dead in their pasture, while the third was only inches from the steps of their front porch. The cows looked emaciated. There was no flesh on their bones, only what was left of the skin. There was no spilled blood and there was none left in the cows' veins. However, the strange deaths of the cows was not what frightened them the most. It was the bull's. They now knew what that loud bang had been. For upon the shining tin roof lay the ravaged remains of the bull. It's head was nearly removed from it's body, only a few tendons and bits of skin held it together. It's belly had been cut strait down the middle and he was disemboweled. Gore lay strewn everywhere.

The Conner children screamed and cried and buried their faces in the fabric of their mother's flannel shirt. Reba simply stared at the mutilated bull in awe. What could have done such a thing? What kind of animal could kill such a massive beast and haul it all the way onto the roof?

"I'll go start a bonfire and we'll start burning the bodies. You should call James up here to help out. We're going to need his truck to move them." Said Mr. Conner to his wife. She nodded fervently. Neither one wished to discuss the strange happenings of the night before. Billy Conner, the level headed man that he was, was sure that there had to be a sensible explanation for the killings. Sarah Conner on the other hand, was sure that what ever had visited them that night was an angry and definitely negative spirit.

"Charlie, Jenny, why don't you take Reba for a trail ride while I help your dad clean this mess up." She suggested. She wiped the tears from her children's cheeks lovingly. Reba bit her bottom lip and stuffed her hands in her pockets with a heavy sigh as she watched on.

"Okay." Charlie agreed with some hesitation.

With sulking looks on their faces, the three of them walked towards the barn.

"You can take Thunder." Said Charlie, motioning towards the sorrel gelding with the white blaze that ran down the length of his nose. "He's older so he's pretty calm. That makes him easier to ride. You've never ridden before, right?"

Reba shook her head as she brushed Thunder's nose with her fingertips. "No. I've always wanted to though. I think horses are really pretty."

"It's really easy. Just sit on the saddle with your feet through the stirrups and use the reigns and your weight to guide the horse. You won't have to do much with Thunder though. He's ridden the trail so much that he can almost do it all by himself."

The raven haired boy went over to a lovely black mare and slipped a harness over her head. "Jenny and I will ride Cloud here. We'll lead the way. All you have to do is follow."

With that the three were on their way. Charlie and Jenny rode a few feet ahead of Reba on the winding path through the hilly terrain. She'd been surprised by how little guidance Thunder needed from her. He was obviously used to making this trip. She really didn't need to do anything at all. So far, she was enjoying the ride. The hoof beats held an almost relaxing quality to their sound and the sights and sounds around her were breathtaking. Reba looked around at all the tall trees and vegetation. Every once in a while she saw a rabbit, chipmunk or squirrel scurry through the underbrush or a deer or two along the side of the path. Sunlight filtered through the canopy of tree limbs above them. The lights danced across her skin in mosaic patterns. This was beautiful country. She really liked this place. It was too bad that it was drenched in a subtle, dark aura. Something awful was going on in this place. She looked into the shadowed woods around them. They suddenly seemed far more sinister than before.

The predator ran through the trees, his feet not even touching the ground beneath them as he flew forward. He stopped suddenly and crouched upon a fallen log. The stench of foreign blood filled his head. The pale skinned child was nearby. He could sense it in his very bones. It made him ache all over. His mouth watered. He could hardly wait to feel her neck snap between his jaws. The killing need was rising like the tide.

He crouched on the log with his empty eyes closed, listening quietly. Hoof beats and the chattering of children perked his ears. A grin stretched the predator's mouth as he started moving slowly forward.

He crawled along on his belly, digging his sharp finger nails into the soil to move himself forward. Happy thoughts filled his head. How sweet she would taste! How fulfilling it would be to have the wretch off his land! His body shivering with anticipation, and he quickened his pace.

"Charlie? Is that monster from last night going to get us?" Asked Jenny, her eyes round and innocent.

"No, Jenny. Mom and Dad wouldn't let anything like that happen." The boy soothed his sister's worries. "Besides, there's no such things as monsters. It was probably just some kind of animal. That's all." He shrugged his narrow shoulders.

_I wouldn't be so sure of that_. Thought Reba as they trotted forward. A cold wind raised the hair on her arm. She rubbed her hand across the skin, trying to warm it. Why had it suddenly gotten so cold? It felt like it had dropped at least fifty degrees. She let out the breathe she'd been holding and a puff of smoke burst from her lips. She could see her breath?

"Guys?" She called to the others, her voice shaking uncontrollably. She felt awful inside, dread filling her gut. She felt her stomach twist painfully. Charlie and Jenny looked over their shoulders at her. "Do you feel cold?" She asked as the panic began to rise.

Charlie shrugged his shoulders. "We're in the shade under this canopy of trees. That's why it's a little cooler."

Reba shook her head. "No. This isn't just cool. It's freezing here. You don't feel it?" She asked, narrowing her eyes in confusion.

Charlie and Jenny looked at each other then shook their heads at her.

Thunder began to prance uncomfortably. Reba could feel his body shivering beneath her. "Thunder? What's wrong?" Reba asked, pulling at the reins in an effort to make him stop moving. But all it seemed to do was make things a heck of a lot worse. The horse began to rear back, it's eyes bulging in fright. It could sense something nearby. A dangerous thing, peering at him from the darkness.

The Predator's sharp teeth gleamed from the shadows as it watched on in euphoria. The horse the pale faced girl was riding, had sensed his presence and now he was allowing it to see him. He kept himself cloaked from the darting eyes of the mare that the half blood children rode. He hadn't come for them this day. It was the trespasser alone who must die.

Thunder let out a high pitched neigh, as he thrashed back and forth between his back and front hooves. Finally he reared up as high as he could go and Reba could hold on no longer. She tumbled backwards, falling harshly on her right side. Thunder kicked and bucked several more times before stampeding down the path.

Reba let out an ear piercing scream. She held her right arm against her chest as she writhed in agony.

"Reba!" Charlie yelled. He swiftly turned Cloud around to investigate. With frightened eyes, he stared down at Reba's twisting form. Her arm was bleeding horribly. The bones in her right arm had napped and the jagged ends were now jutting through the skin. His mind raced to find a solution. What should he do? "Don't worry. We'll go get help! We'll be right back, Reba. Hold on!" He said.

Reba nodded through her pain. "Go." She chocked, grimacing.

Charlie kicked at Cloud's sides and the children sped back down the trail, at full gallop.

The Predator's smile widened as he stepped out of the woods. He straightened his back and brushed the dust from his pants. A cold laugh echoed from his empty chest.

Reba could hear someone coming near her. She turned her head and saw a man walking in her direction. He was a tall man in pants that looked to be made out of deer hide they were ripped in places and splashed with stains of dried blood. He wore no other clothing. Long, jet black hair, hung around his broad face and whipped around behind him in the wind. He reminded Reba of the Native Americans she'd seen in her history books. Well, except for his eyes. They were solid black, with no white showing at all. They looked more like empty eye sockets than actual eyes. She could feel in her very soul that this man meant her harm. Digging the fingers of her left hand into the soil, she attempted to drag herself away from him.

The girl's pathetic attempt to get away made the Predator only laugh harder. He stood over her, soaking in her misery. "What's wrong, little girl?" He asked in a mocking tone.

"P-please. Don't hurt me." The girl pleaded, tears pouring from her large blue eyes.

"What makes you think I want to hurt you?" Asked the Predator, rolling his head to the side, his curiosity peaked. This child was doing something that he hadn't seen any human do before. She was looking him dead in the eyes.

"You're not human." The girl squeaked.

"That I am not." The Predator confirmed. He bent down and took the pale skinned brat's throat in his hand. His claws dug deep into her skin, breaking it. He could feel the warm blood flowing over his fingers. It made his body quiver with glee. "I am the protective spirit of this land. You are trespassing. Your kind are not welcome here." He spat, his voice a gravely rasp.

"Please." The girl begged. "I-I meant no harm. I'm just staying here for a few weeks, not for good. I-I'll be leaving soon." She tried to explain, shier panic gripping her entire body. She could tell that this man, this…thing…had no soul to speak of. He was empty, just like his eyes. The hand that threatened to choke the life out of her was freezing cold. He seemed more like a corpse than a living being.

"Is that so?" The Predator chuckled, his grip on her throat tightening. The more he looked into this girl's eyes, the more he liked her. She wasn't afraid to look him in the eye. She wasn't like those half blood brats. She was self reliant and resilient. She had a will to live, unlike any he'd seen before, especially for such a young child. He could tell just by looking at her. The wheels in his head began to turn. _This girl is…amusing. Perhaps I'll spare her for now. I want to play with her a little more. _He thought. "Today is your lucky day, Yellow Bird." He said. He'd just thought of the nickname. Her yellow hair and the way she squawked endlessly, reminded him of a yellow feathered bird he'd snatched from a nest that morning. He laid his frigid hands over her ghastly wound as he whispered an incantation. He brushed his fingers over it and when he pulled his hand away, the bones and flesh had healed. Not even a scar remained. "Go back to Sarah, Yellow Bird. Stay at the ranch. These woods are not for you." He said. Slowly, his body faded into nothing.

Reba wasted no time. With her arm healed, her fight or flight reaction was set into motion. She ran as fast as she could back down the trail, back the way they'd come. Every few feet, she looked back over her shoulder, fearful that she'd see The Cold Man right behind her, but nothing was ever there.

The Predator laughed as he watched the child run away. "It's been such a long time since I had someone new to toy with." He said in a raspy voice that made the air around his vibrate with malice. He held up his hand, still stained with the girl's blood, and licked his fingers clean. Then, he crouched down low, dug in his toes and bolted off into the forest once more, transforming mid-flight, into a cougar with empty black eyes. He let out a cougar's scream as he disappeared once more into his home.

Reba's stomach fell into her feet when she heard a cougar's scream echo over the trees. The cry was twisted and dark. Drawing from all the strength she had left, she increased her speed.


End file.
